Masquerade of Filth
by ayumu-in-blue
Summary: During the time when the Shichintai was still forming and it only had only 4 members, Bankotsu accepted a mission that circumstances made a little too complicated to complete.
1. A Mission of Circumstance

TailFluffGirl this one is your fault! )

Okay now to be a little serious... This story is taking place during the forming of the Shichinin-tai. In this story the Shichinin-tai already consists of; Bankotsu who is the leader, Jakotsu an interesting/cute/gay/girlfilth type of swordsman, Suikotsu a doctor/killer with multiple personalities and schizophrenia, and Mukotsu is a poison wielder with a less than lovely countenance.

I'm breaking this story up into a couple of parts; once they are posted that's all of it. This was originally going to be a one shot, but... well... you know how stories go.

Oh, and just in case VIZ decides to turn Jakotsu into a female... I just wanted to tell everyone that Jakotsu is in fact male so it's not a mistake when I keep calling him 'him'. I mean this is one guy with serious anti-female issues. (For good reason!)

Yes, there will be Yaoi implied... I mean Bankotsu & Jakotsu are obviously meant for one another!

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Author's Notes: 

Daimyo: a lord in Feudal Japan. They were usually pretty darn powerful, having their own army's to take care of stuff if it was necessary. Still army's can fall and when you don't want to have clear ties doesn't a mercenary group help things a lot?

O-jou-sama: think lady or Princess

Yakata & Obi: Well I really should have used kimono or something because of the time period, though Obi would still be appropriate...

Tanto-dagger

Shiro- means white but it also means castle. I'm talking castle in this case.

* * *

Masquerade of Filth

* * *

Chapter 1: A Mission of Circustances

* * *

_When time is spent in an unstoppable life_

_Collected memories are crammed into a strongbox_

_The soft forms are released from capture_

_Only to continue living a serious life_

* * *

'What was Bankotsu thinking when he took this mission?' Jakotsu sulked. 

The four members of the Shichinin-tai watched their target from a nearby cliff, and tried to figure out the best possible way to handle the mission. The way things were it was going to be almost impossible to complete it.

"We absolutely have to kill the Daimyo?" Mukotsu knew the answer but he couldn't help but to ask again. Well, maybe he had misunderstood...

Bankotsu was leaning against a tree watching the troops below, he merely nodded to confirm Mukotsu's question.

They did indeed have to kill the Daimyo, and that was exactly where the entire problem was. Mukotsu's poisons were useless here. The way the winds blew here, it was just as likely that if he used any airborne poisons everyone would die including the members of the Shichinin-tai.

That meant that they had to attack. But with only 3 warriors able to use their skills it would take too much time to get through the troops and inside. By the time they got inside the Daimyo would have already escaped.

'Was this mission impossible?'

Bankotsu stood up to stretch his legs when he noticed an entourage coming from further down the road. He remembered vaguely hearing something about a bride.

That was when an idea hit him.

* * *

"O-jou-sama!" 

The guard ran towards the two figures approaching the gates. He saw the blood splattered across her soft blue kimono, and it was obvious that the warrior was favoring his left leg. He tried to help them both inside but was surprised to find the lady even taller than he was though extremely beautiful. Her black hair that had once been pinned up was half falling over her shoulders and even though blood was splattered across her face, anyone could tell how beautiful she was.

The guard showed them their papers proving who they were, and the two of them were escorted inside.

"Bankotsu, why do I have to dress up as filth?" Jakotsu wined. Sure the yukata and obi were beautiful, but still! He hated woman. He loathed the creatures. He never wanted to be compared to one, let alone look like one! The thought made his skin crawl.

Still... Jakotsu's eyes wandered over to his handsome leader. Bonkotsu had asked him to do this and for some reason he just couldn't bring himself deny him any request.

"Don't call me Bankotsu here, O-jou-sama." Bankotsu gently reminded his friend.

Jakotsu was trying really hard not to scream every time he heard that stupid word.

_It's just an act... It's just an act..._ Jakotsu chanted to himself. He just had to follow the plan and then this hellish nightmare would be over.

"O-jou-sama?"

_Not again..._

"The blood!" Two warriors and a lady in waiting had been sent to attend to the survivors. When she reached out towards Jakotsu his flinch was so obvious everyone believed that she must have been hurt.

"I'll fetch the doctor!"

"No! I mean... I'm all right, really. I'm just a little... uhhh... shaken is all. My guard though he took a cut in his leg."

Bankotsu really had gotten hurt. It hadn't been expected but the lady, who's clothing they had stolen, had a tanto hidden up her sleeve and had managed to plunge it into Bankotsu's leg.

_Typical filth, appearances with them were deceiving._ Since the plan involved getting to the Daimyo the injury would make things look a little more realistic so it was decided not to let Suikotsu treat the injury.

So far things were moving along quite smoothly.

Bankotsu though was very thankful for a very strange coincidence. The real reason he had begged Jakotsu to be the one dressed as the O-jou-sama was because the two of them looked considerably alike in the face. The true O-jou-sama and Jakotsu could have been twins if not for their hight difference.

"My lady you have grown since the last time you were here!" The lady in waiting exclaimed, as she stood looking up at Jakotsu.

He was really starting to get sick of this stupid woman.

Jakotsu's patience was already in tatters, and the only thing keeping him from going on a mad killing rampage of all these stupid soldiers and this incredibly idiotic woman was the fact that Bankotsu was right there next to him. Jakotsu's hand was just plain itching to throw her away from him, but he managed to hold that urge back.

Somehow.

"Still your face is as lovely as always, my lady! I'm sure our lord, the Daimyo, will be pleased. He's still as handsome, and as brave as when you were last here. Also, his coffers are just as deep, Mi-lady.."

Jakotsu tried to give her a gentle smile, the kind that a lady would give to her servents, but his whole body was stiff with irritation. Just being polite right now was almost too much to ask. He really wanted to get rid of her and fast.

They were both escorted inside the shiro, and shown to their rooms. Bankotsu was offered medical treatment for his injury, and relief from his duty though he declined. He was not going to let Jakotsu have free reign of the palace in his current mood.

Jakotsu may be weird but he was the closest he'd ever had to a best friend, and he would not allow him to get himself killed because he lost his already volatile temper.

It wouldn't be long before they were escorted to the Daimyo and could finally enact their plan anyway. Bonkotsu pulled out the red lip paint Jakotsu often wore, and stared at it. Mukotsu really was a genius when it came to poisons and their antidotes.

If... they had taken a normal weapon it would have been caught by the guards, but this... no one would think of Jakotsu himself being the murder weapon. It was almost fiting, after all of all the animals Jakotsu was most like the deadly snake that strikes.

* * *

_All right!_

_Results and stuff!_

_All right!_

_I'm invisible But even tomorrow won't say goodbye_

_All right! We are All right!_

_Because of mistakes_

_All right! Only progress_

* * *

Lyrics are the translation of Urameshi Yusuke's image song "All Right!" The top piece is the opening of the song and the ending the chorus. 


	2. Much Ado About Nothing

Thank you for having taken the time to read this small piece. I hope you enjoy it, Wow! A-Kon is almost here. Hard to believe it's this weekend. Well, before I go off and dress up as Jakotsu for the weekend here's the next chapter of my fic. Please, feel free to go ahead and read and please take a few moments and let me know what you think, bad or good.  
  
This story though really is in honor of A-kon... 'Love's anime conventions'

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Author's Note  
  
Sake: Rice wine, it's a pretty strong alcohol. You DON"T wanna know how they made it during this era. ;; Well, at least I didn't anyway. Though it's a little late for that!

juban: it's similar to the kimono and yakata except that's it's worn under it.

* * *

Masquerade of Filth

* * *

Chapter 2: Much Ado about Nothing

* * *

The shower of happiness

I'll shower you with it

I'll support your lonely back

The shower of happiness

You're not alone

* * *

Jakotsu was getting really sick of this treatment.

Everywhere he looked it was girls, girls, girls. It made his skin crawl. Sure, Bankotsu was there to, but he never saw him. Those stupid women were keeping him to themselves, and Jakotsu felt lucky if he could even catch a glimpse of his friend's face as he sat there drinking the sake that these stupid women had brought for him.

He was getting royally pissed off.

"Can't you just leave me alone? Get out!" Jakotsu snapped.

The women, in the room, looked at him as though he had grown a second head. Bankotsu though had been expecting this to happen sooner or later. He was polite and friendly to the girls as he escorted them out of the room, explaining it had been a long day, and she was probably still adjitated from the battle. The girls said that they understood, but Jakotsu couldn't help but notice how they twittered and flirted with Bankotsu as they left the room.

"I wanna flirt with you too!" Jakotsu complained when the last girl had finally left the room. "It's just not fair! Just because I have to be the rotten princess in this whole stupid masquerade, we should have just stormed the castle and hoped to kill him."

Jakotsu swayed over to Bankotsu's side as the leader began to poor him self some more sake.

"That way I wouldn't have to watch while those stupid pieces of trash flirt with you."

Bankotsu simply smiled at his friend's antics.

"It'll be fine." Bankotsu reassured him, as he offered him a swig of sake. "We're not going to be here for very long. Once we have an audience we will get out as fast as possible. Until then...." Bankotsu toasted his friend, and took a swallow from his sake glass.

Jakotsu could only sigh. _Was that sake more interesting than he was?_

He studied himself in a long mirror. It was the only decoration in the room, and the person staring back at him looked nothing like him. If Jakotsu hadn't known it was his own reflection, he would have thought it was another piece of trash looking at him. Still, he had to admit the blue kimono looked very good on him. It complimented his eyes nicely, and the white flower blossoms sewn all over it gave the outfit a very innocent feel to it.

Still the kimono had taken some unfortunate damage.

Jakotsu turned slowly in front of the mirror, trying to see from all angles when he noticed a big slash in the fabric.

"Bankotsu, we absolutely can't risk me being discovered right?"

Bankotsu blinked. "Of course."

"So if something could possibly put us in danger of being caught we would have to fix it immediately, right?"

"So?"

Jakotsu was smiling victoriously at him. As though he had just won a great prize.

"Look, there is a cut in my kimono!" Jakotsu pointed.

Bankotsu did indeed see it, but the pointing at it was unnecessary. The tear on it was so big it couldn't possibly be missed. There was a long gash right below his butt, and you could see the thin white fabric of his juban peeking out from underneath it.

"Fix it for me! I'm so bad at sewing." Jakotsu begged.

Bankotsu finished his sake before setting the empty glass to the side, and began to rummage through his pack.

"Take it off and I'll get it fixed. It won't take very long, I think."

"But," Jakotsu reminded him, "What if someone came in? Our cover would be completely blown!"

Jakotsu smiled sweetly, his eyes shining in anticipation of the inevitable.

"I can't take it off. It is too much of a risk, and we can't leave the tear because once someone notices it, they will want me to take it off so they can fix it. Either way our cover would be blown. There is only one option!" Jakotsu declared as he quickly closed the distance between them.

A blush was stained across Bankotsu's cheeks.

Jakotsu was lying across Bankotsu's lap on his stomach, smiling up at him as though he was victorious.

"You have to fix it like this."

Bankotsu knew this was probably the easiest way to fix the yakata, but that was completely beside the point. His best friend, no, his best friend who preferred men was laying across his lap expecting him to well... uhh.... fix uhh...there on his... hmmm....

Jakotsu smiled at the crimson stain across Bankotsu's face. He was just too cute like that!

"Please."

Bankotsu tried to ignore the implications of the situation he was in, and he started to sew.

Carefully he pulled the pieces of the fabric together using the thread, but every once in a while his hand would slip and would land on Jakotsu. Usually that was accompanied with a lighthearted remark about being felt up, or something else equally suggestive.

When at last Bankotsu was finished, his face was completely red, not just his cheeks, and Jakotsu was trying to decide if he was going to be merciful or not, when there was a light knock on the door, before they could move the door had been opened, and an old ugly man was standing in the doorway looking at them both.

* * *

Why?

Why do you want to make your dreams come true?

Even if I can't give you a good answer to that, I believe that someday

The time will come when I'll be able to see it.

Everyone's searching for that.

* * *

The lyrics are:  
  
Bottom: Sora, Hikaru's Image Song from Hikaru no Go; Top: from Yu-Gi-Oh's 2nd Japanese ending theme Genki no SHAWAA or Energy Shower


	3. A Tragedy of Errors

Okay cancel that this story might actually turn into 5 chapters.

Chapter 3: A Tragedy of Errors

* * *

The expression on his face could even be called horrific. The elderly man had definitely not been expecting to see what he had seen! 

The man backed away from the door and ran down the hallway, screaming for help.

Jakotsu was unceremoniously dumped on the floor.

"In there! He was... I mean... the O-jou-sama!"

"Just remember the mission." Bankotsu knew that if he escaped everything would fail. He just needed to buy some time for Jakotsu. It was too bad though. He'd much rather find the daimyo himself and they could be on there way, but... they didn't know what he looked like!

Things were just way too complicated, still a mission was a mission.

The guards rushed into the room pointing their weapons at Bankotsu, and Bankotsu just let them. He simply smiled at the guards as he was dragged down the hall, his arms held as firmly as the guards could, even though that level of strength was really just a joke to Bankotsu.

'Just remember the mission.' Jakotsu reminded himself, as he watched Bankotsu get carted off.

How dare they lay a hand on him! He tried to calm himself. He know Bankotsu would be just fine, right now it wasn't his leader that he needed to worry about it was completing the task that had been entrusted with him.

…But… but…

The samurai gave Jakotsu a quick looking over as he pulled himself off of the tatami mats on the floor. The disapproving looks he was receiving were no doubt due to the situation that he had been caught red-handed in.

"O-jou-sama…" The elderly man walked over to Jakotsu's side and offered him a hand up. Jakotsu climbed to his feet quickly on his own, earning another glare from the nearby samurai warriors… unfortunately none of them were particularly cute. Oh well.

He kind of felt bad not taking the elderly man's assistance but he knew he couldn't give away anymore then he already had and the calluses on his hands were a dead giveaway as to his many hours practicing and wielding his sword.

"O-jou-sama, his lord ship requested that I bring you to him."

Already?

He hadn't had a chance to put on the poisoned paint that had been given to him. He just wasn't ready… still the sooner they could get this completed the better. Why couldn't there just be one really cute guy around here besides Bankotsu?

"Hmmm…" Jakotsu tried not to grit his teeth in annoyance at his own play-acting. "Oh course, may I have one moment first?"

"No. His lordship requested you're presence immediately, and you will go as you are."

Damn!

Why was it that things just couldn't go his way? I mean come on! What was this bad karma coming back to haunt him or something like that?

He knew he looked disheveled. His hair was still out of place and his kimono had shifted out of place from being dropped on the floor. Then again the lipstick… he glanced out the corner of his eye and saw where it had fallen from his sleeve onto the ground. There was a particularly ugly samurai in the way.

Just not enough time.

He straightened his kimono as best as he could in front of the guards and followed them out into the hallway, his heart plunging deep into his chest.

If all the samurai was this ugly what did the daimyo look like… damn and he was probably going to have to kiss the toad. Still, he didn't have to kiss it right now… maybe… maybe there would be another way.

He could hope anyway, right?

He looked longingly back at the room's direction wishing for the only weapon he had been allowed to bring into the compound. He wanted to end this whole mess quickly but his instincts said that a good junk of the entire plan had just successfully failed.

Jakotsu trudged down the hall, with his escort only a step or two behind him. No one would speak to him and no one would even look at him… well that was fine it would be harder to jeopardize their mission if the samurai didn't acknowledge him.

"In here."

The elderly man stopped at a small room where two retainers sat guarding the entrance.

"Wait here."

Wasn't he mister chatty!

The elderly man closed the door with a resounding thud behind him. Jakotsu wondered what he was going to do. He had to kill this guy and quickly, after all, this job wasn't any fun without either cute guys to attack and watch bleed or Bankotsu they're at his side.

This job stank.

Eventually the door opened, inside Bankotsu was kneeling on the floor in front of the daimyo. There was a trickling of blood from a cut above his right eye but other than that he looked everybit as normal as ever.

Well at least Bankotsu was all right. Jakotsu sighed to himself.

The real question now was what were they going to do with the toad at the front of the room.

Jakotsu walked to the front of the room, and was rather surprised by what he saw…

Not such a toad after all!

The man was actually not that bad looking. He was fit, and had a tolerable face, even though he didn't wear his hair long or even in a top knot. Not beautiful but not bad, but the air of command about him was strong, and the look of intelligence was there as well.

Still something about this man gave Jakotsu the creeps. Was this guy the daimyo? It didn't matter if he was or wasn't either way this guy was a threat, and a big one.

* * *

Chapter 4: to be continued... 


	4. Tempest

A/N:

Prior the Tokugawa Regime the fashion in carrying a blade was that it was bound to you're side with a cord. It wasn't until much later that Samurai began to tuck the katana or wakizashi into the hakama.

Hara-kiri or Seppuku is ritualistic suicide.

* * *

Chapter 4: Tempest

* * *

Jakotsu was a bit on edge when he heard the sound of one of the sliding doors opening behind the crane screen. The sound of someone stepping on the tatami mats was barely audible. If it hadn't been for the door he wouldn't have been certain that someone had come in at all.

After a few moments a monk stepped out from behind the screen bowing politely.

"I apologize for my tardiness my lord, I came as quickly as my feet would carry me."

Jakotsu and Bonkotsu both studied the man. For all purposes he looked like a monk but both of them could sense something else about him. It was the type of feeling that you get when you confront another skilled warrior.

The monk studied the two strangers in the room while a slight frown of concentration creased his brow. Especially when he looked at Jakotsu.

Smirking at the stranger, Jakotsu stared back almost defiantly. While Bonkotsu merely scowled at his friend for wanted to provoke him when they were both in such an awkward position.

Well at least now they knew who the Daimyo was.

"I wanted to express my gratitude for allowing me to stay in your beautiful home. If there is anything…"

His words were cut off with a wave of the daimyo's hand.

"There is nothing that you need thank me for. A pilgrim must eat as well as sleep. One nights shelter will not hurt me either way."

"You're generosity is beyond words."

"My servants will show you to you're quarters for the night." It was a distinct dismissal and there was no way that it could be misinterpreted.

Bowing the monk turned and followed the servant out of the room, but not before Bonkotsu noticed something odd up his sleeve. It looked like wires, and the look in his eyes… even though it was subtle a part of him knew the man wasn't an ordinary monk on a pilgrimage.

Whoever he was he was a cold-blooded killer and he was good at it. His eyes had seemed frozen and it was as though nothing could faze him. There was also an intelligence in his eyes that made Bonkotsu wonder is maybe they were both intending the same thing. If so an alliance _might_ be welcome.

The daimyo seemed to command the presence of everyone as he lifted his hand towards the guards surrounding Bankotsu.

"So this is the man with the audacity to touch my betrothed?"

Sliding his hand along the mats his hand touched the saya of the wakizashi and katana at his side. Standing up slowly he tied his katana to his side using a cord while still holding the wakizashi by the saya.

Stepping down onto the main floor in his audience chamber, he used the hilt of his wakizashi to force Bonkotsu to look up at him.

"Just a lowly Samurai… do you not understand that such a flower is beyond your reach?"

His expression was that of a mad man intent on causing pain. Jakotsu knew that someone such as him could never hurt Bonkotsu to him he was nothing but a small fry. Idly he hoped that Bonkotsu would just kill him and be done with it.

Sure they were unarmed, but Bonkotsu could easily kill these fools with his bare hands now that they knew who they were after.

Right now he just wanted out of that filthy woman's clothes!

"Hara-kiri will not be permitted, I'll remove his head myself, still in the presence of such a lovely woman that would be a crime."

The lecherous look that the daimyo through Jakotsu made him wonder the exact shade of red that his blood was.

"Tomorrow at dawn will be soon enough I think. Take him away. As the guards haled Bonkotsu to his feet the daimyo let the saya of his wakizashi hit Bonkotsu's injured leg hard enough a normal man would have fallen to the ground.

Jakotsu sighed longingly. That was probably the reason why he liked Bonkotsu so much. If Bankotsu was anything ordinary was a far cry from him.

* * *

Chapter 5: to be continued...


End file.
